Business Central December 2021

48 | Wellington Gold Awards: Cuttriss Consultants REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Talented team at centre of success T T Sue Russell Cuttriss Consultants was a finalist in the Wellington Gold Awards in the Supporting Gold category. Contact John Pritchard today to discuss your project: Phone: 021 755 155 or Email: john@pritchardcivil.co.nz Servicing the Kapiti area extending to Wellington and Palmerston North • Project Management • Bulk Earthworks • Topsoil Screening and Supply • Building Siteworks • Roading • Landscaping • Drainage • Surveying We offer a large range of services to assist you with your next project: Civil Construction & Earthworks W ellington company Cuttriss Consult- ants began in 1947 offering land surveying services and during the course of the following 74 years has evolved to become one of the region’s largest privately owned surveying, civil engineering and plan - ning companies. With offices in Lower Hutt and Kapiti, Cuttriss Consultants today engages a team of approximately 50 professionals. Nicola Todd, one of four directors leading the company, says a core factor contributing to the company’s longevity and success is its set of values, shared by all her colleagues. “We are all very passionate about the servic- es we offer and the impact they have on the quality of life and environment in this region,” says Nicola. This year, that contribution was recognised at the Wellington Gold Awards, held on 29 July at the TSB Arena, on the waterfront, when Cuttriss Consultants were named finalists in the Supporting Gold category. Nicola says that the decision to enter the annual competition, which has been celebrat - ing Wellington business achievement since 1999, was all about putting the company out there, and testing its performance against others. “We know we are a good organisation. “One of the key reasons why we choose to throw our hat in the ring is to acknowledge the quality of our team and their individual contribution to the success of Cuttriss Con - sultants.” As with any business spanning decades, over time the leadership team changes. When director Mark Edgar retired in March 2020, Registered Professional Surveyor Nick Taylor stepped in. “Nick’s big skill area is land development project management but he is also leading us in advances in technologies, such as the use of drones,” Nicola says. Her responsibilities extend to overseeing the day to day management of the company, recruitment and health and safety and Nicola shares her time between the two offices. Asked what she considers to be a real strength Nicola says it’s about finding people who, in their individual personalities and skill - sets contribute to the greater good. “Certainly the team is not a collective of people who are all the same. We look for the right attitude and initiative to bring something of real value into the mix.” Cuttriss Consultants has a number of long - standing large clients who do a considerable amount of land development in the area. “We wondered last year with the first lock - down how it would be when we returned and “With Transmission Gully nearing completion there’s a real interest in living along the Kapiti Coast and we’re very fortunate to have developers with an appetite to move beyond traditional land development.” we’ve been busier than ever. The plan is to continue to grow organically as demand for their service offering grows. “We don’t, however, have any grand desire to be a large corporate business. “We’re very much focussed on maintaining the culture; the family feel. We just want to have enough people that we can work in a really healthy, sustainable manner.” Providing those keen on pursuing a career in surveying, planning, civil engineering and project management, is something Nicola says has helped build the company into what it is today. “It gives us a great deal of pleasure to see new young people being drawn to this profes - sion; wanting to make a real mark and input into the positive development of this region. That’s what makes us tick.” Cuttriss Consultants has been engaged in multi-unit developments in Lower Hutt for a number of years and Nicola says it’s par - ticularly exciting to see this type of land-use extend now into the Kapiti region. “We’re at the forefront bringing these pro - jects into the district and pioneering new ways for communities to grow.” One project, The Florian, a medium-density housing development, at Paraparaumu is leading the way for future residential models. “With Transmission Gully nearing comple - tion there’s a real interest in living along the Kapiti Coast and we’re very fortunate to have developers with an appetite to move beyond traditional land development and into more efficient use of land with more intensive housing.” Finding the balance between creating a community that can operate well at a practical level while celebrating great urban design is the wonderful challenge this project brings. “We’re delighted to be involved in this innovative development here; one which will undoubtedly herald many more to come in time.”